[WikiEN-l] Re: [Foundation-l] Requiring a References section (was Re: Enforcing WP:CITE)

[David Gerard]

Matt Brown wrote:
> On 12/1/05, SJ <2.718281828 at gmail.com> wrote:

>>Why not?  Requiring a 'references' section for every article (thanking the
>>heavens that WP is not paper), and reminding every editor that *every* new
>>article should come with at least one reference, seems a responsible thing
>>to do.  Can you offer a reason not to have such a section for any article?

> I meant that more than that is hard to automate.  You're right that
> the bare minimals can be easily checked.  However, I can't see that we
> can automate much beyond that with ease.


On en:, even that will help a *great* deal.


>>If you're writing about one of those topics that is a) not private
>>research/analysis of your own, but b) has never been written about
>>anywhere else [that you know of], then we need a new class of references :
>>"personal observation by [user]", with a relevant tag not unlike the
>>original-reporting templates used on Wikinews.  Then it will be crystal
>>clear that readers should visit your page, and see whether they trust you
>>as the primary/original observer/author.

> Much of this falls under 'original research', doesn't it?  Or are you
> talking about the cases where someone believes that something is true
> but doesn't have the references to hand?


Either original research or that case. In that case, the personal
observation should go on the talk page for others to find a good
reference for.


- d.